


let's meet at that place at 2pm

by adequater



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-02-07
Packaged: 2019-03-15 03:06:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13604241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adequater/pseuds/adequater
Summary: Who actually asks someone on a date just because your friends asked you to do it, and because they’re slightly sick of your infatuation towards a certain someone? No one but Jisung, apparently.





	let's meet at that place at 2pm

**Author's Note:**

> jisung: i'll protect jaemin hyung!  
> leeteuk: will u protect him today?  
> jisung: but his seat is so far away...
> 
> i love this pairing and will always do
> 
> warning: unbeta'ed as usual. horribly paced too >:(

“Tell me why we’re on a date again?” Jaemin muses, and Jisung feels his ears heating up at the question. Jisung fidgets slightly at the question, so brazen _ and  _ blunt, that it just  _ screams _ Jaemin-esque. Jisung sort of feels like bawling.

 

“Uh,” Jisung can only say intelligently, and Jaemin, who is next to him, laughs at the response, shuffling his feet lightly on the pavement, figuring out that Jisung’s second response wouldn’t be any more intelligent than the first one he gave out earlier. 

 

Here’s the thing. Jisung is  _ definitely  _ someone who thinks rationally. Well, at least Jisung thinks he  _ thinks  _ rationally. Jisung thinks a lot before making a decision in order to not do something rash, or even  _ worse;  _ something he would regret. But here’s the thing about a rational thinker; they are bound to make some rash mistakes. Or more accurately, Jisung who was being peer pressured into asking Jaemin out, was bound to make a bad decision. Not that asking Jaemin on a date was a  _ bad  _ decision. But it’s the...sentiment. Who actually asks someone on a date just because your friends asked you to do it, and because they’re slightly sick of your infatuation towards a certain someone? No one but Jisung, apparently. 

 

“It’s okay,” Jaemin says cheerily as he pushes the door of this Starbucks they’ve arrived at. “I know it’s a dare.” Jaemin steals a glance at the silent Jisung. “I don’t really mind, though.”

 

Jisung doesn’t know what to make of that, so his eyes widen, and he coughs slightly, but Jaemin turns away right before that happens, so at least Jisung is saved from  _ another  _ embarrassment.

 

The first embarrassment was in the cafeteria. Where the, uh,  _ dare,  _ happened. The lunch sort of started like any other lunch. Jisung and Chenle arguing, and Renjun listening, while Jeno next to Renjun was interjecting into the argument. So in a hindsight, Jisung really didn’t even know how asking Jaemin out even popped up when the lunch started with the usual mindless talks. Perhaps it was the way Jisung’s eyes flickered casually towards where Jaemin was sitting with his friends, conversing casually and boyishly, beautifully even. Perhaps it was the way Jisung accidentally let out a little smile when he saw Jaemin laughing giddily at his friends’ jokes. So maybe that was why his friends suddenly decided to conjure up the dare that he should ask Jaemin out. Because he was staring. Like he usually does.

 

It was  _ stupid.  _ The way Jisung somehow agreed to ask Jaemin out. The way Jisung suddenly decided that he  _ also  _ wanted to ask Jaemin out. So, yeah. To put it simply, the dare had been done out of a moment of weakness from Jisung’s part. 

 

“I’ll pay,” Jisung interjects, when he breaks out of his trance and sees Jaemin about to dig into his own pockets to take out some change to pay for the drinks. Jaemin looks at him in surprise, but shrugs in defeat. 

 

“You sure?” Jaemin asks. 

 

“Yeah,” Jisung shrugs again, taking out his wallet. “I mean, it  _ was  _ because of me you have to be here anyway.”

 

Jaemin laughs at that, and he takes both Jisung’s and his drinks, and walks over to a table. Jisung can only follow silently after Jaemin, sitting across Jaemin. Jaemin is looking at him, eyes expectant and wide, face adorned with a soft smile, and Jisung kind of feels like bawling  _ again.  _ Jisung tries to look back, to maintain eye contact, but it’s just so weird, and Jaemin is looking at him so earnestly, Jisung feels so bare to the point he has to look away. 

 

“Uh,” Jisung says into the silence. 

 

Jaemin laughs. “It’s alright, Jisung.” Jisung doesn’t quite know  _ what’s  _ alright. “What are you so nervous for?”  _ You.  _ “We can just talk.”

 

If Jisung was a bit honest, Jaemin is kind of being too nice. If Jisung were to be asked out by someone (someone  _ two  _ years younger, too. A grade below him, even.) at the school cafeteria where everyone was watching, Jisung would be kind of apprehensive (not that it would ever happen to Jisung). But Jaemin had been too nice, right at the moment Jisung asked him out, and Jisung kind of feels like shitting in his pants at how cooperative Jaemin has been so far. Right at that moment when Jisung walked up to the table Jaemin was sitting at with his friends with this sudden pretence of confidence he managed to conjure, and when Jaemin turned to look at him with a questioning tilt of his head, Jisung sort of felt like melting to the cafeteria floor. 

 

“Hi,” Jisung squeaked, and Jaemin, who was already looking at him, blinked in surprise again. “I’m Jisung.”

 

“Hi?” Jaemin asked questioningly. Jisung could feel Jaemin’s friends looking back at Jisung weirdly, too. Like  _ what the hell is this kid doing  _ kind of weird. But Jaemin was looking at him so gently, with this small amused smile on his face that Jisung could feel having an impact on his heart. “You’re from the volleyball team, right?”

 

Jisung didn’t know how Jaemin knew the fact when it was their first time meeting officially, but it was enough for Jisung’s cheeks to start heating up, and for Jisung to start fidgeting too. “Yeah. That’s not the point, though. I--”

 

“Tell Jeno that the badminton club will still be using the court. All of them. We don’t care,” Donghyuck, one of Jaemin’s friends interjected. Jisung nodded at that, and he was about to continue when Mark, another friend of Jaemin, piped up. 

 

“Yeah. You guys should stop stealing out court time, man,” Mark complained, and Jisung could feel his patience running thin as the seconds ticked by. Jisung nodded again, just for the sake of being polite, then turned back to look at Jaemin. 

 

“I have something to ask you,” Jisung blurted out to Jaemin, and Jaemin, who didn’t even take his eyes off of Jisung when Jisung was interacting with his friends, raised an eyebrow in question. 

 

“Okay,” Jaemin replied. 

 

“I’m asking you out!” Jisung yelped loudly, and Jaemin blinked at him in surprise. Jisung expected laughs, and there were some from bewildered people who heard. Jisung expected incredulous snorts, and there were some from Jaemin’s friends. Jisung didn’t know what he expected from Jaemin though, so Jisung stared, and Jisung didn’t exactly expect a phone number on a sticky note on the palm of Jisung’s hands. 

 

“Alright, Jisung,” Jaemin said amusedly, and Jisung stayed silent, gaping at the phone number on his palm. “Text me. It’s a date.” 

 

Jisung didn’t quite know how he managed the walk back to his table with wobbly legs, but he did, and immediately after he sat his ass down back on his chair, Jisung groaned into the palm of his hands, after putting the sticky note inside of his pockets. 

 

“Why did you make me do that?” Jisung sobbed into his hands, and he peeked a look at Jaemin only to find him looking at Jisung with  _ another  _ amused smile before looking away. Jisung heats up, and puts his face into his hands again.  _ “Why?”  _

 

“We didn’t expect you to actually do it,” Chenle replied defensively, and Jisung felt like whacking Chenle’s head. Rich, be damned. 

 

Jeno next to him nudged him slightly. “What did he say?”

 

Jisung removed his hand from his face, and blinked foolishly. “I have a date apparently.” Synchronised gasps. “And they said they’re still using the court.” A groan from Jeno. 

 

That was that, and this is now. 

 

Jaemin is still looking at him with these imploring eyes, as he sips on his frappe. Jisung chooses to lead the conversation again after he takes a sip from his own frappe.

 

“Why did you even agree?” Jisung asks, and Jaemin hums a little. 

 

“You can call me hyung, you know,” Jaemin supplies instead, and Jisung nods at that. Jaemin then gestures to the drink on the table lightly. “No one can resist free drinks, Jisung.”

 

“Isn’t that an exaggeration?” Jisung asks weakly, and Jaemin lets out a faux offended gasp. 

 

“You doubt the extent I go for a free drink, then,” Jaemin replies, and he lets out a soft giggle after that that indicates that he’s joking, and apparently, and  _ also  _ an indication for Jisung’s heart to start beating faster than it usually does. “Why did  _ you  _ ask me out, then, Jisung? Is the dare reason you’ve been giving me  _ also  _ an exaggeration?”

 

Jisung wants to say that it’s because he likes Jaemin. Because he has liked Jaemin ever since he saw Jaemin play double with Mark back when Jisung was still in the last year of middle school, and Jaemin was in the first year of high school. Jisung wants to tell Jaemin that he sort of liked how Jaemin smiles, and how Jisung is glad that Jaemin’s classroom is in a passing with his own classroom because he can sneak a look at Jaemin when he passes by. Jisung wants to tell Jaemin that he admires Jaemin’s badminton skills, and Jisung wants to say that he has a stupid ass crush on Jaemin. 

 

Except he doesn’t because it’s kind of weird to admit to liking someone when that person just knew of your existence.

 

“Not really,” Jisung chooses to say. “Sorry. My friends aren’t usually that shitty.”

 

“It’s alright,” Jaemin says again. He then switches the topic. “Your position is the middle blocker, right? That’s impressive.”

 

“Oh,” Jisung says, blinking at Jaemin. “How did you know?”

 

Jaemin sort of fidgets a little, but he waves his hand away. “Here and there. Our clubs are always fighting over the court, anyways. I see you guys sometimes.”

 

The thought of Jaemin watching Jisung practice sort of creates this thrum of excitement throughout his veins, but he hides it well by tapping his feet rhythmically. “I see. And yeah. Middle blocker. Along with Jeno-hyung.” Jisung smiles proudly. “I’m on the first string!” 

 

Jaemin is looking at him with this nice smile. Jisung doesn’t want to say  _ proud, _ but it is akin to proudness, but Jaemin also just looks endeared, and Jisung doesn’t know where to look. “That’s good! And you’re only in first year, too. The only reason why I was in first string while I was in first year is because no one wanted to play double.” 

 

Jisung thinks Jaemin is sort of being too modest. Because Jisung  _ knows  _ that Jaemin’s badminton skills are really good, which probably lead him to the first string. Jaemin was modest, sure, but Jisung had never been good at being modest, anyways, so he replies cheerily. “Yep!” 

 

Jaemin laughs at that, and Jisung feels his chest broaden up a little at the thought of being the one to elicit the laugh out of Jaemin. Jaemin’s phone buzzes shortly after, and Jaemin takes his phone out, sighing as he does when he reads what Jisung guesses a text. Jaemin pouts up at Jisung. “I have to go. My tutor is coming.” 

 

Jisung doesn’t know Jaemin is getting tutored, but that’s more he knows about Jaemin, so he nods. “It’s alright.” Jisung can only say. Jisung then stands up, and Jaemin does the same grudgingly, seemingly reluctant to leave the Starbucks. 

 

“See you around, Jisung,” Jaemin says when they’re outside of the Starbucks. Jaemin tiptoes on his foot slightly, and smiles brightly at Jisung. “We should really hang out again.”

 

“Really?” Jisung squeaks, and Jaemin laughs. 

 

“Yeah! I really like you!” 

 

Jisung  _ knows  _ Jaemin didn’t mean it like that, but it didn’t stop his heart from indulging into the sentence. Jisung smiles back at Jaemin, with teeth and all, and looks down demurely. “Uh, I guess so, hyung.”

 

“Bye, Jisung!” Jaemin says, and he ruffles Jisung’s hair a little right after. Jaemin starts walking to the subway station, and Jisung watches for a few second before going to his own way, when Jaemin’s voice calls him out. “Jisung!” Jisung looks back at Jaemin in surprise. “It was a nice date!” 

 

Jisung feels like melting down on the streets. 

 

-

 

Jisung doesn’t know exactly what he expects after their date. Jisung is kind of a person who has low expectations, so all Jisung guessed he could gain from the date is maybe a few Hi’s from Jaemin when they pass by in the hallways. Jisung is not expecting  _ this.  _

 

“Hi, date,” Jaemin’s voice says brightly, and Jisung squeaks, looking up from his phone in surprise, and pulling his earphones out along. Jisung looks around, and see a few people  who heard who are still loitering outside like Jisung is, looking at them in surprise, and Jisung looks back at Jaemin to see that he looks unbothered by the stares. Jaemin pinches Jisung’s side slightly. “You okay?”

 

“Yes,” Jisung yelps, and he pockets his earphones and phone quickly, smiling at Jaemin in a rush right after. “Uh, hi. Jaemin-hyung. Date.” 

 

Jaemin giggles at that, and Jisung couldn’t help but heat up a little at the laugh. They’re outside of the entrance, right at the front entrance of the school, the entrance you see after you climb up the stairs in front of the drop off point. Jisung is waiting for Chenle, his friend asking Jisung to wait for him just because he wants Jisung to wait for him, and Jisung can’t find any other reason to refuse so he waited outside, listening to songs while scrolling through his Twitter feed. At least he was until Jaemin showed up. 

 

“You have Twitter, I see!” Jaemin says brightly, and Jisung nods awkwardly at the observation. Jaemin must’ve showed up way earlier than before Jisung noticed him. “You should follow me!”

 

Jisung doesn’t know how to say that he has followed Jaemin without being weird and stalkerish. He figures there’s no other way, so he says it. “Uh. I already do.”

 

Jaemin looks surprised, glad even, if Jisung looks closely enough, and Jisung  _ is _ looking. He’s grinning, smiling at Jisung adorably, and Jisung sort of wants to take Jaemin’s hands in his if Jaemin keeps doing that thing he does where he smiles this charming smile. “I’ll follow you back, then!” Jaemin then takes his phone out, and moves closer towards Jisung, just so that Jisung can see Jaemin clicking the Twitter button, and going through his following list to find Jisung’s name. Jaemin clicks Jisung’s profile and looks at Jisung with an arched eyebrow. He looks so attractive, and their close proximity truly does Jisung no good to hide it. “Why jwisungpwark?”

 

Jisung thinks today is a good day to kill Chenle. Jisung rubs his hair awkwardly, and blurts out. “Park Jisung is taken!” Jisung then realises what an awkward sentence that is, and by the way Jaemin’s lips had taken a shape to a pout, Jaemin realises, too. “I meant the username. The username is taken, hyung. And it’s an inside joke. Kind of.”

 

“Oh, good,” Jaemin says breezily, and he’s still looking at Jisung, this time with a small smile. “I thought you meant the other kind of taken.”

 

Jisung doesn’t know even know that he likes to test out his luck, but he apparently does, so he quickly says. “Uh. Yeah. Not taken. Wouldn’t have asked you on the date if I was, hyung. Haha.” 

 

Jaemin smiles again, and he backs away a little, and Jisung’s disgusting mind chooses to think that he missed Jaemin’s close proximity already. “You should ask me out on a date again.”

 

“Again?” Jisung squeaks, taken aback. “Not that I don’t want--”

 

“Even if you don’t want to, I’ll do it,” Jaemin easily replies back, and Jisung truly doesn’t know if Jaemin is fooling him or likes seeing Jisung so flustered, so Jisung just gapes awkwardly. Jaemin then looks back, and sees Chenle walking up. “Oh, look! It’s you friend. I’ll go now, Jisung.” Jaemin pats Jisung’s hair softly, grinning at Jisung. “See you.” He goes. 

 

Chenle runs up the stairs with furrowed eyebrows, looking at Jaemin’s walking form in surprise, and once he arrives at where Jisung is rooted, he says, “Was that Jaemin sunbae?”

 

“Yeah,” Jisung croaks out, and he stares at Chenle. “Yeah.”

 

“What was he doing talking to  _ you?”  _ Chenle asks incredulously, and Jisung breaks out of his trance to scoff at Chenle. Jisung grabs Chenle’s arm for them to start walking to their class.

 

“What is  _ that  _ supposed to mean?!” Jisung cries out, and Chenle glances at Jisung in disbelief. 

 

“I say what I say, Jisung,” Chenle says, looking at Jisung weirdly. Chenle then nudges Jisung with his hips. “How was your date, by the way?”

 

“I don’t know,” Jisung mumbles, and he steals a glance at Chenle. “But he wants another one.”

 

“What?!” Chenle yelps, and he looks so surprised it’s almost funny. “Stop fooling around, Park!”

 

“I’m not!” Jisung argues, and when Chenle still looks unconvinced, Jisung sighs. “Fine! Believe what you want!” Jisung then walks faster, his longer legs giving him and advantage, so pretty much soon after, Chenle’s whines about asking Jisung to wait for him is heard.

 

-

 

Since the Volleyball and Badminton teams share a court, they also share the same changing room. It’s divided by lockers, the Badminton and Volleyball changing rooms, but the room still have one entrance. Jisung and Chenle are early today. They usually come to practice right at the middle, where some people are already leaving the changing room, some people are still changing, and some are still loitering in. But they’re really early now since the teacher had let them out earlier than usual, so Jisung takes his time with changing into his sweats and practice shirt. 

 

Jisung is now shirtless, elongating the time he has to change into his practice shirt, just because it’s as hot as the satan’s ass today, and only him and Chenle are in the changing room. Jisung chooses to scroll through his phone as he sits on the bench, his practice shirt in his left hand, and his right hand scrolling through his Instagram feed. Chenle is also sprawled on another bench, but with a shirt, and with his eyes closed, probably trying to take a small nap before practice starts. 

 

“Maybe put a shirt on first, Jisung,” a voice says teasingly, and Jisung looks up immediately from his phone in surprise to the voice. It shouldn’t come as a surprise when Jisung sees that it’s Jaemin, but it is, and Jisung can only stare back, covering his body with the practice shirt. “I mean. It’s not like I  _ mind  _ seeing that, but. Yeah.” 

 

Jisung heats up, and Jisung can only nod shyly at Jaemin. Jaemin only grins at him, and goes to the Badminton team side of the locker room. Jisung hurriedly puts on his shirt, and right after he puts the shirt over his head, Chenle goes over to him cautiously. 

 

“Was he,” Chenle pauses, then whispers.  _ “Flirting?” _

 

“Shut up, he could probably hear you, stupid!” Jisung whispers hurriedly, and right at that moment Jeno and Renjun enter. 

 

“Who can hear you?” Jeno asks loudly, and Jisung feels like crying. Jeno then looks around the changing room, and sees that only both of them are there, so he presses. “Who?”

 

“Please shut up,” Jisung cries out, and Renjun raises an eyebrow at him, holding his hands up defensively. 

 

“Both of you were loud in the first place,” Renjun interjects, and he goes to his locker right after he says it. Jaemin then appears from the other side of the changing room, and shoots a knowing look to Jisung before he exits the changing room. There’s a brief silence in the changing room right after, and Jisung only sighs. 

 

“I’m sorry?” Jeno squeaks, and Renjun can only pat Jisung’s back, and Chenle goes back to napping. 

 

-

 

Jisung doesn’t know how Jaemin just suddenly takes over his life, but Jaemin is, and he’s doing a very darn good job at it. 

 

They didn’t know each other before the whole date thing. Jisung knows Jaemin, of course. Because he just had that huge ass crush on Jaemin, but it doesn’t mean that Jaemin knew of Jisung’s existence before Jisung decided to walk to his doom that day. But ever since that day, Jaemin somehow managed to fluster Jisung in perhaps the best way possible. First instance is in practice.

 

The Volleyball and Badminton courts are shared, so both teams have to make do, and just tolerate each other since the school won’t ever fund them to have separate courts. There are only few instances where the either teams give up their practice time, and let the other team have their courts. But mostly, they just share. And somehow, ever since the date, Jisung becomes hyper aware of his movements, and Jaemin’s eyes on him.

 

It wasn’t like that before. Jisung stared at Jaemin during practice when he had time, sure, but Jaemin didn’t look back because they don’t know each other. But now that they know each other, Jisung sort of feels eyes on his back all the time, and Jisung can just feel someone staring. Jisung doesn’t know if it’s just him being annoying and self-absorbed, so he asks Chenle.

 

“Do you think someone stares at me during practice?” Jisung asks when they’re having their break, and they’re on the floor, panting as they try to catch breaths, and drink their water. 

 

“What?” Chenle mumbles incoherently, and that is that. 

 

His theory is only confirmed when he and Jaemin somehow managed to make eye contact with each other, and Jaemin looked away hurriedly, his ears a colour of pink, embarrassed of getting caught staring at Jisung. That was the first time Jisung had ever since Jaemin look so uncomposed, so Jisung cherished it during the entire practice, his jumps breezy and easy, and it gathered him compliments from their coach. 

 

Jaemin somehow affects Jisung by greeting Jisung whenever he sees him. It  _ shouldn’t  _ affect Jisung because, well, that was the bare minimum Jisung expected after the date, and greeting someone you know is just something someone decent would do when they see someone they know. So Jisung doesn’t really know why he’s so affected. Perhaps it’s because he’s had this crush for so long. Or maybe it’s because it’s Jaemin, and the second Jaemin does something as mundane as looking over to Jisung and smiling at him, Jisung is pretty much weak on his knees. 

 

-

 

“Oh, hey,” Jaemin says when he sees Jisung still in the changing room, and Jisung smiles at Jaemin, that Jaemin returns with a small smile. “What are you still doing here?”

 

“Uh,” Jisung says awkwardly. “Waiting for my parents. They’re kind of late all the time. So I just stay here.”

 

“Oh,” Jaemin says, and he nods in understanding. Jaemin then surprises Jisung by sitting next to him on the bench. Jaemin is sitting too close, and he’s sweaty because he just finished practice probably, and Jisung would be lying if he says that he minds their close proximity. “Hey, remember that date you promised hyung, Jisung?”

 

Jisung wants to say that he didn’t promise Jaemin anything. But that would probably come out douchey, so Jisung says. “Uh, yeah?”

 

Jaemin sighs, and he turns his head, and look at Jisung, pouting slightly, and Jisung is  _ really  _ weak. “I’m tired of waiting.” Jaemin sighs exaggeratedly, and continues. “So I’m asking you, Jisung.” Jaemin takes Jisung’s hand in his. Jaemin’s hands are still sweaty, and Jisung thinks that it’s from holding the racket for so long. “Go on a date with me, again. And maybe be my boyfriend. If you want.”

 

Jisung thinks he’s a pretty intelligent person, but at this moment, his intelligent mind can only conjure up, “yes, I want!” 

 

“You’re adorable, really,” Jaemin giggles, and Jisung feels like floating. Jaemin gets up, and he’s still holding Jisung’s hand, so Jisung’s hand gets lifted too. “Maybe we should go on that date first before deciding.”

 

“You’re right,” Jisung agrees, because he’s a fool for Jaemin, and will always be. 

 

“I’m right,” Jaemin echoes, and he lets go of Jisung’s hand, smiling softly. “I’ll text you, Jisung.”

 

“Right,” Jisung squeaks, and soon enough, right after Jaemin goes to the Badminton team side of the changing room, his parents arrive, so Jisung rushes outside to the car, and when they ask why he’s smiling so brightly, Jisung can only say that he’s stupidly happy. 

**Author's Note:**

> i don't know honestly. i just really wanted to write this
> 
> comments and kudos are appreciated! :)
> 
> i'm on [twitter](https://twitter.com/nctkkum) if you wanna follow me! 
> 
> and i opened up a [curiouscat!!](https://curiouscat.me/adequater) if you wanna ask me questions hehe


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